Mark Sorokin, Esq. is an attorney practicing in Connecticut, Maryland, and Washington, D.C.
Tell me about your job, career, or calling. How did you get into this line of work?
I fell into it somewhat. My father is an attorney, and upon graduating college, I had no idea what I wanted to do. He helped me get a job as a paralegal at a law firm, and I enjoyed it so much that I decided to apply to law schools. Have not looked back since.
What are some of the challenges?
As a solo practitioner, I don’t have the benefit of a supervising attorney, so I have to do tons of research to make sure that the decisions I make are correct. Also, marketing is a huge challenge – getting my name out there and gaining prospective clients’ confidence. Sometimes prospective clients or opposing counsel will call me and not understand how the relay system works. But usually once they understand it, it becomes a non-issue.
What was it like growing up deaf/hard of hearing?
It was difficult. I was mainstreamed through all of public school, and I experienced a lot of difficulties socially as the only deaf student in my school. My mother always told me that things would get better as I got older and people started understanding (in a good way) what made me different. And as I got older, I understood that I controlled what I did far more than what other people did.
What advice would you give a deaf/HH person who is looking for a job, career or calling like yours?
Read a lot. Write a lot. Understand how the world works around you – both on a macro and on a micro level – and how to communicate with other people effectively. This concept is vastly different from the ability to argue with other people, which doesn’t always win you favors.
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One response to “Mark J. Sorokin, Attorney”
I love this series!